Savior Complex
by xSweetiePiex
Summary: It’s no secret that Ryan Atwood is drawn to people he feels he has to save. How far will he go to help a new friend? Will he risk everything or will he finally realize that sometimes you can’t save everyone?
1. Chapter 1

**Savior Complex**

**Summary: It's no secret that Ryan Atwood is drawn to people he feels he has to save. How far will he go to help a new friend? Will he risk everything or will he finally realize that sometimes you can't save everyone?**

**Rated: T for language**

**Please read & review!**

"You want me to do what?" Ryan Atwood looked at his guidance counselor in shock. It was the beginning of his senior year, and when he had been called down to the office, he wracked his brain on something that he had done wrong… or worse, was accused of unjustly. Now, he was feeling a mix of relief and annoyance.

"Tutoring." She started, sensing Ryan's doubt. "Kids who are having problems in a certain subject area can sign up at school and the more advanced students, _like you_, help them out."

Ryan blushed at the compliment, mentally reviewing his class schedule. AP Calculus. AP Physics. AP Microbiology. College Level French. AP Psychology. Advanced Business. He didn't know if he'd have the _time_ to take on the responsibility of tutoring someone.

"Ryan… you're very bright. And this would look great on your college applications. Plus, you'll learn a lot yourself…"

She may have said more, but Ryan stopped listening at college applications. _College applications. _Ryan's stomach did a somersault. He didn't really want to think about college. Sure, his SAT scores were good. Sure, he was doing really well in school. But there was no way he could afford to pay for college. And there was no way he would ask the Cohens for money. Any more money. That was the last thing he wanted to do. Ryan swallowed hard. He must have been spacing off because the next thing he heard was his guidance counselor interrupting his thoughts.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Ryan recovered. "I'm fine. I'll do the tutoring thing."

"You sure?" she looked surprised, but happy. Ryan nodded. "Okay, then. Here's a junior who just signed up today. She needs some help in French and…" she flipped through a pile of papers on her desk, trying to find the information. "Pre-calculus. Do you think you can handle it?"

Ryan nodded. "Yeah."

"Her name's Brooklyn Rose." The guidance counselor handed Ryan a stapled packet of paper. Ryan didn't recognize the name. "I'll call her down to the office, and she'll meet you in the student lounge after school. Does that work?"

"Yeah. And all I have to do is tutor her?"

"Yup, that's it. Thanks a lot, Ryan." His guidance counselor said, sincerely. Ryan's response was a simple head nod before grabbing a pass from the secretary and heading back to AP Calculus for another fun day of learning about graphs and their limits.

The day dragged by slowly. Ryan made his way to the student lounge right after school. He looked around awkwardly, trying to find Brooklyn. He finally saw a girl he didn't really recognize, sitting cross-legged on the couch. She had dark brown hair pulled into a ponytail and she was looking around uncomfortably as well.

"Brooklyn?" Ryan's voice was more confident than he really was.

"Yeah…" Brooklyn's voice was painfully shy.

"I'm Ryan Atwood. Nice to meet you." He sat down next to her.

"Brooklyn Rose." She turned to face her. "Call me Brooke."

"So… what do you need help with?" Ryan began awkwardly.

"Um… right now, French." She groaned. "Je ne give a darn pas."

Ryan chuckled. "Who do you have?"

"Madame Carlton."

"Ahhh… I had her last year. She's tough."

"Tell me about it." Brooke rolled her eyes. She was quickly getting comfortable around her new tutor. Just then, Brooke's cell phone rang, blaring the polyphonic version of _Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!_ "Sorry…" she said sheepishly. Glancing at the caller ID, she replied. "I gotta get this…"

"It's fine." Ryan answered, sensing she needed his approval.

Brooke made an effort to move, but the lounge was crowded, and as soon as she moved too far, she lost her signal. Forced to sit on the couch, she continued the conversation there. "I'm sorry… no, babe… I have to do this. I'm practically failing French and pre-calc… I know I told you that… please, not now. Not here… Tyler, please. Of course, I care about you… please stop yelling."

"I won't stop yelling until you stop being a bitch!" Tyler screamed into the receiver. "If you weren't so fucking stupid, then you wouldn't need some fucking tutor, would you, idiot?" Brooke didn't know what to say. She stood up, fiercely embarrassed. As soon as she did, her connection was lost. She stared down at her cell phone and let a few tears fall. She glanced back at Ryan. He was watching her, his intense blue eyes reading her dull gray ones.

Ryan had been trying very hard not to eavesdrop on their conversation, but he couldn't help it. The person on the other end of the receiver was yelling at her. Nobody talked to women like that. There was no rationalizing it. There was no excuse.

When Brooke resumed her spot next to Ryan, she wouldn't look him in the eye. Ryan started reviewing conjugation like nothing happened, until about 15 minutes later when he couldn't take it anymore.

"That your boyfriend?" Ryan asked casually, as Brooke was packing up her books. She just glanced up at him. "Ya know, nobody should talk to you like that… not even your boyfriend." Brooke bit her bottom lip. "Especially not your boyfriend."

Brooke was silent for another few moments. "It's… it's not like that. He was just… mad."

Ryan didn't believe her. Not for a second. But he didn't want to make her feel cornered. "That's no excuse. Be careful."

"I'm fine." She retorted. "But thanks." She added, when she saw the flash of hurt in Ryan's eyes. "Thanks for the help."

"Okay. How about we get together again Wednesday after school?" Ryan suggested.

"Um… sure."

"Here's my number." Ryan pulled out a notepad and began absent-mindedly scribbling the Cohens' number. Then he scratched it out. He carefully wrote his cell phone number. #555-4700. "It's my cell. If you ever need anything… just call, okay?"

Brooke got what he wasn't quite saying. "I'm okay, really. I'm just being too sensitive." She plastered on a fake smile. "But thanks."

Brooke turned around and shoved the piece of paper in her pocket. Ryan watched her walk away. All of a sudden, he grew concerned. Where was she going? Back to her boyfriend? He closed his eyes, thinking to himself _What the heck are you doing? You just met this girl! You don't know anything about her! _No matter how much he tried to rationalize his thoughts. Maybe he really did have a savior complex.

TBC! Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry it's been so long since I've updated!!!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the O.C. I'm not making any money off of this. I just like to write. **

**Please read & review!!!**

Ryan's gaze lingered on her disappearing figure. He sighed again. _What was he doing?_ He really had to get a hold of himself. He haphazardly gathered his books and threw them into his messenger bag. Trying his best to shove the thoughts of Brooke out of his mind, he started back home.

When he finally arrived back at the Cohens, he glanced at the clock. 4:15. He must have spent more time getting home than he thought. His attempts at slipping unseen into the pool house were thwarted by a very stealthy Seth.

"I challenge you." Seth announced.

"Challenge me?" Ryan wasn't really paying attention to his foster brother. Seth grabbed the plastic case of Super Mario Brothers.

"Wanna play?" He asked again.

Ryan sighed. He didn't want to tell Seth no. He didn't really have that much homework, he just didn't really feel like playing. "Sure." He agreed, anyway.

The two played until dinner. Seth won easily, even though Ryan usually put up a better fight. Truthfully, his mind was far from the video game the pair was playing…

Brooke had left her first tutoring session a little shaken up. She felt an immediate connection with Ryan. She had no intention of letting on anything about her relationship with Tyler. Her best friends didn't even know anything about him. But she was always in trouble when she didn't pick up her cell phone… and there was something about Ryan that made Brooke want to confide in him. There was some sort of spark between the two. Brooke wondered if Ryan felt it, too.

Brooke walked quickly the rest of the way home. She couldn't afford a car, and since her parents divorce, she'd been forced to take the bus most days. She lived with her mom, a middle aged woman who was more concerned with Botox injections and staying in shape than her own daughter. Brooke's father, a former CEO, was now serving time in a white-collar prison for embezzlement.

Looking back, she could have asked Ryan for a ride home, but she knew she'd be in too much trouble with her boyfriend, Tyler. He'd never allow her to accept a ride from him. He barely allowed her to be tutored by him. She sighed. The California climate was forgiving and warm, but she still hated walking alone. She always felt so isolated.

As soon as she got home, she breathed a sigh of relief. Her mom was still at work. She wouldn't have to tell her about why she needed a tutor in the first place. As she was sitting down to work on some French homework, Brooke heard a knock on the door.

"Hold on, I'm coming!" She called.

She looked through the peak hole. It was Tyler.

"Hey, babe." He greeted his girlfriend with a kiss.

"Hey, come in." She opened the door wider.

"I'm starved. What's for dinner?" Tyler asked, kissing her again.

"Um… well, my mom's not home yet."

"So, what are you gonnna make for me?"

"I was going to work on some homework…"

"Why the hell would you do that?" He asked, suddenly loud.

"Don't yell at me."

"You're so gay, Brooke." Tyler pushed her away. "Why are you so stupid? You're never going to use any of that stuff."

Brooke didn't even know why they were fighting. "I'm sorry…"

"You're damn right you should be."

Brooke put her books away quickly and managed to make Tyler some dinner. He didn't even notice the unshed tears in her eyes, even when he slapped her hard across the face for not heating the food enough.

Meanwhile, back at the Cohen house, Ryan had a bad feeling that something was going to go terribly wrong.

"You okay, kid?" Sandy asked a very quiet Ryan after an awkwardly silent dinner.

"Yeah…" Ryan wasn't too convincing.

"What's going on?" Sandy asked. "Something in school?"

Ryan looked up.

"You know, you can tell me anything."

Ryan nodded. "Yeah, I know."

"I'm here for you."

Ryan bit his bottom lip. He wanted to tell Sandy about tutoring Brooke… and overhearing the conversation on her cell phone. "Sometimes… it's best to just… be there for someone, right?"

"Well, yes…"

"I mean… tell them that you're always there to listen and wait for them to come to you."

Sandy chuckled. It was basically what was going on with Ryan. Sandy waited until Ryan was ready to come to him. "Yes. Exactly. You can't force someone to open up to you. You can't force someone to get help. Sometimes, the best thing to do is wait."

Ryan nodded.

"Unless, of course… someone is a danger… to themselves, or other people. If someone is in trouble, you have to tell an adult. Me. Kirsten. Someone."

"I know."

"And everyone's okay?"

"I sure hope so." Ryan said quietly.

"What?" Sandy asked.

"Yeah, everyone's gonna be fine." Ryan assured.

That night, Brooke went to sleep early, before her mom even got home. She put a hand to her slightly bruised cheek. She thought about the card that Ryan had given her. _Should I call him?_ No, she finally answered. _I can't do that. I can't go running to him. He's not some white knight. He's not a prince on a horse saving some poor damsel in distress. Besides, I deserved this…_


End file.
